What is the 1200 Calorie Diet?
Admit it: you’ve checked out the amount of calories you’re adding to your body when you put that cracker in your mouth. Maybe you did the same when you ate that personal sized yogurt. Or when you decided to indulge in that chocolate bar after lunch. We’re all checking out the calories that we’re putting into our bodies for SOME foods, but we’re not keeping track of it all (yes, that cup of coffee with cream and sugar certainly has some calories that need to be accounted for!). Ask most how many calories they consume on a daily basis and they’ll either give you a figure that’s completely off-base or they’ll admit they have no idea.
How many Calories Should I Eat in a Day?
A calorie is a word used to describe a unit of energy. The amount of calories that one should consume in a day varies on a number of factors: height, activity level, age, and weight loss goals (if any). For the average person, a 1500 calorie diet is sufficient to keep us energized and mentally alert without packing on the pounds. If you exercise regularly, you may need more calories than this to keep your body going throughout the day and to fight fatigue. Similarly, if you spend your days sitting on the couch or laying in bed, you can get away with less than 1500 calories a day while still being functional.
If I need 1500 Calories, Why switch to a 1200 Calorie Diet?
A 1500 calorie diet is fine for those who are satisfied with their current weight, but for anyone looking to shed some pounds, consider taking on a 1200 calorie diet. Initially, taking on the 1200 calorie diet may seem like a lot less food and you may think you’re going to starve. Here’s the good news: you won’t starve and you will always be feeling full and satisfied as long as you follow these tips:
- Eat several small meals and snacks each day. Eating up to 6 small meals a day will not only keep you full, but it will also keep your metabolism revved up and running.
- When you eat, eat slowly. Eating slowly allows our stomach to effectively communicate to our brain when it’s full, whereas eating too quickly doesn’t get that message through until after we’ve overstuffed ourselves.
- Drink a lot of water. Water will help fill you up AND it has zero calories. Bonus!
- Keep your diet simple, yet varied. You don’t need to eat lean chicken and a salad for every meal. Change it up!
- Be sure to take a multivitamin or nutritional supplement every day. You need to make sure that you are getting the nutrients your body needs to be in tip top shape.
How do I Plan to eat a 1200 Calorie Diet?
First and foremost, before starting a diet plan of this kind be sure to check in with your health care practitioner and/or dietician. He or she will be a wealth of resources when it comes to dieting, calories and nutrition.
Next, it is important that you do actually PLAN your diet. Write down ingredients for meals, plan out snacks, and be sure to purchase items you need only once a week when you do the grocery shopping. Forgetting even one thing from a recipe may land a tempted person at the fast food drive-thru window.
Both the library and the Internet have tons of resources on ideal 1200 calorie diets that will keep you interested and motivated.
Below is an example of a typical 1200 calorie diet day:
Breakfast:
- 1 large hardboiled egg (90 calories)
- 2 rashers of lean bacon (200 calories)
- 2 slices of whole wheat toast with a thin spread of butter (200 calories)
- 1 large slice of melon (47 calories)
Lunch:
- Cream of mushroom soup (96 calories)
- 1 large mixed salad (80 calories)
- 1 slice of bread with thin spread of butter (108 calories)
Snack:
- 1 personal low fat yogurt (60 calories)
- 1 piece of fruit (40-50 calories)
Dinner:
- Pasta salad (200-300 calories)
- 50g of tin can tuna (50 calories)
Many stores also sell frozen pre-made low-calorie dishes that you can purchase if you feel like having a lazy “cooking” day.
When attempting to lose weight, you certainly want to stay away from any foods with refined sugars and corn syrup (say good bye to your pop, table sugar and sweets!), any foods with transfats, any foods that will make a brown paper bag turn see-through (fatty, greasy foods) and most alcoholic beverages.
Remember, any sort of change to one’s diet will be met with challenges and temptations. To help keep on track, write down every piece of food you consume in a day to help you keep motivated and on track. Best wishes to you and your weight loss!
